Cell processor co-developers Sony, Toshiba, and IBM announced yesterday the beginning of a five-year technological alliance, part of which will focus on developing 32nm thick and smaller manufacturing processes which will dominate the computing market in years to come. Masashi Muromachi, president and CEO of the Semiconductor Company at Toshiba, had this to say about the announcement:

"With Toshiba's cutting-edge process technology and manufacturingcapabilities, Sony's various semiconductor technologies and deepknowledge of consumer markets and IBM's state-of-the-art materialtechnology, we can anticipate breakthrough process technologies for the32nm generation and beyond. Toshiba will apply these advances toassuring continued leadership in cutting-edge process technology andthe accelerated development of essential devices for the age ofubiquitous connectivity."

Over the past five years the three companies along with Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. worked together to develop the "Cell" microprocessor for use in multimedia devices, most notably the Playstation 3, and its underlying silicon-on-insulator process technology at 90nm and 65nm diameters.